Regina hosts first 'Flora's Walk' in support of perinatal mental health
Sunday marked the first time that Regina has taken part in the event that originated out of Ontario following the death of a new mother.
Flora Babakhani was a single mother in Toronto who struggled with postpartum psychosis after giving birth to her daughter, Amber. Flora eventually died by suicide on January 14th, 2022, two months after Amber was born.
Following the tragic event, Flora’s loved ones, along with the Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative created a walk in her memory to prevent similar tragedies from occurring.
“At the time, we had very little government involvement in maternal mental health. So they started the collaborative in 2022 and the walk soon after that,” event organizer Loreli Palandri told CTV News.
“As an owner of ‘From Seed to Sprout’ and as a registered nurse who works with perinatal mental health and just perinatal people, we really wanted to bring this to Regina because we know that it is something that is super important. It is not talked about enough. The more that we feel comfortable talking about it, the more everyone else will feel comfortable talking about it.”
Palandri is one of the two nurses who recently founded From Seed to Sprout which is a perinatal clinic that works to provide education and other tools to help new parents, an area which she saw a need for more resources.
“Women’s health or paternal health in general is kind of just not cared about as much, which is crazy because we all came from a mother and we need healthy, thriving parents to raise healthy, thriving children,” she added.
According to the Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collective, 23 per cent of mothers in Canada reported feelings consistent with postpartum depression or an anxiety disorder.
Additionally, a 2021 survey conducted by the organization, 95 per cent of healthcare providers believe that current perinatal mental health services are insufficient in Canada.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
Poilievre says Canadians 'fleeing' to Nicaragua, Liberals say it shows he 'doesn't have a clue'
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
With DNA break, police ID victim in decades-old Newfoundland case
A skull was found along a backroad near St. John's more than 20 years ago. Now, police have finally identified the victim of the homicide.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
Infant dies in ATV crash, N.S. RCMP says alcohol may be a factor
An infant has died and three others, including another child, were taken to hospital following an ATV crash in Forties, N.S., on Monday.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
McDonald's says $18 Big Mac meal was an 'exception' and their prices haven't risen that much
McDonald’s is fighting back against viral tweets and media reports that it says have exaggerated its price increases.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's housing plan defeated in House of Commons
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's housing bill has been defeated in the House of Commons with the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois voting against the legislation.
B.C. man to be extradited to U.S. on charges of sexually assaulting stepdaughter
A British Columbia man will be extradited to the United States, where he faces a possible life sentence if convicted of charges that he repeatedly sexually assaulted his stepdaughter, after losing his appeal of the extradition order Tuesday.